Serves: 4
Total Calories: 158

1 1/4 cups green lentils (saabut masoor dal), sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water
4 to 4 1/2 cups water
1 stick cinnamon (1-inch)
2 black or 4 green cardamom pods, crushed lightly to break the skin
1 clove fresh garlic (large), coarsely chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons peeled minced fresh ginger
1 fresh green chili pepper, such as serrano, minced with seeds
1 1/2 tablespoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground paprika
1/4 teaspoon Garam Masala

1. Place the dal, water, cinnamon, cardamom pods, garlic, turmeric, cayenne pepper, and salt in a pressure cooker. Secure the lid and cook over high heat until the regulator indicated high pressure, then cook 30 seconds more. Remove from the heat and allow the pot to depressurize on its own, 12 to 15 minutes. Carefully open the lid and check to see if the beans are very soft and some of them are broken if not, cover, bring up to high pressure again, and cook another 30 seconds. Or cover and boil until soft, about 30 minutes more. Remove to a serving dish, cover, and keep warm.

2. Heat the oil in a mall nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat and add the cumin seeds they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the onion and cook, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the ginger and green chili pepper and cook about 1 minute, then add the coriander, cumin, and paprika and stir a few seconds. Transfer to the dal and swirl lightly to mix, with parts of it visible as a garnish. Sprinkle the garam masala on top and serve.

VARIATION: For a different flavor, try this recipe using green mung dal instead of the lentils. (Both these dals are interchangeable in most recipes.)

From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 4
Total Calories: 158
Calories from Fat: 60

More Recipes from the 1000 Indian Recipes Cookbook:
* Dried Beans, Lentils, and Peas
Basic South Indian Soupy Split Pigeon Peas
Black Beans in Traditional Curry Sauce
Black Chickpeas with Chickpea Masala
Black Chickpeas with Sizzlilng Ginger and Cumin Seeds
Black Urad Beans in a Slow Cooker
Black-Eyed Peas in Yogurt Curry
Canister Chickpeas (or Dried Yellow Peas)
Chickpeas in Traditional Curry Sauce
Chickpeas with Ginger, Garlic, and Chaat Masala
Chickpeas with Spinach and Potato Wedges
Chutney Chickpeas with Tamarind
Classic Kidney Bean Curry with Onions
Classic No-Onion Kidney Bean Curry
Crispy Split Pigeon Pea Cake
Curried Black-Eyed Peas
Dry-Cooked Green Split Peas
Dry-Cooked Red Lentils with Cumin Seeds
Falguni's Gujarati Split Pigeon Peas
Fresh Green Chickpeas with Lentil Nuggets
Garlicky Dried Green Peas Curry
Garlicky Yellow Mung Beans with Zucchini Wheels
Green Lentils with Sautéed Onion
Gujarati Green Mung Beans with Green Masala Paste
Hazram's Soupy Pigeon Peas
Kashmiri Fennel-Flavored Black Urad Beans with Yogurt
Kashmiri Small Red Beans
Madras-Style Pigeon Peas with Vegetables
Mustard-Roasted Adzuki Beans
Parsi Mixed Lentils, Beans, and Vegatables
Pickle-Flavored Chickpeas
Punjabi Black Urad Beans
Punjabi Dry-Cooked Yellow Mung Beans
Punjabi Green Mung Beans with Sizzling Ginger
Punjabi Red Beans with Mango Pickle Masala
Punjabi-Style Split Pigeon Peas
Rajasthani Mixed 5 Beans and Lentils
Red Lentils with Bengali 5-Spices
Roasted Green Lentils with Tomatoes
Roasted Yellow Mung Beans and Potatoes
Sindhi Dry-Cooked Yellow Mung Beans
Small White Beans with Indian Spices
Smoked Black Urad Beans
Soupy Split Pigeon Peas with Jaggery
Spicy Adzuki Beans
Spicy Chickpeas with Pomegranate Seeds
Spicy Dried Yellow Peas
Spicy Dry-Cooked Split Green Mung Beans
Spicy Mixed 5 Beans and Lentils
Spicy Soybeans in Yogurt Sauce
Spicy Split Black Urad Beans with Split Chickpeas
Spit Pigeon Peas with Coconut and Vegetables
Split Urad Beans and Yellow Split Chickpeas with Spinach
Stir-Fried Black Urad Beans
White Urad Beans with Fresh Lemon Juice
White Urad Beans with Roasted Fenugreek Leaves
Yellow Mung Beans with Fresh Curry Leaves
Yellow Mung Beans with Sautéed Onion and Ginger
Yellow Split Chickpeas with Spinach
Yellow Split Chikpeas with Opo Squash